Monday, September 12, 2011

An Encounter with an Azkal


For starters, I am a huge sports buff. Anything related to sports, I am pretty sure I know a thing or two about it. I am more interested about an athlete's performance than the athlete itself. 

I don't usually get excited when I see a prominent athlete in our country. I value much their efforts in their respective sports but I do not perceive them as icons that really matter in my life like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods achivements do to me.

Strangely, on my first ride in an airplane after two decades since the last one, I saw a familiar face. At first, I thought it was a taxi or bus driver. Then I saw his name tag that says Chieffy Caligdong. He plays for the Philippine Soccer National Team called Azkals. He was with his family, so I was shy to confront him. While in the air, I keep telling myself that I should not be so anxious of meeting him because he is not a Rooney or a Ronaldinho. But the sports fan hidden deep inside my heart wants to interact with him.


After we landed in Iloilo City, I spotted him waiting for his baggage. My friend Dennis, whom I told who that person was, nearly dragged me to Caligdong in order for me to have a picture taken with him. As a result, I approached him and addressed him as "Sir" because he is enlisted in the Air Force. He gladly accept my invitation of having a photo taken with him and his little son. Then the crowd notice it, and lined as well to have a picture taken with the famed Azkal as well. 


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